Posts Tagged ‘saving money’
Monday, February 9th, 2009
Pre-Cut Produce
Pre-cut fruits and vegetables didn’t even exist 10 years ago, but we spent more than $600 million on prepared salads alone last year. While grabbing pre-cut fruit and vegetables can help cut down on your time in the kitchen, that small convenience carries a big price. It’s safe to say you are paying at least double the cost for pre-cut produce vs. buying their whole counterparts. Another negative — you aren’t getting all the vitamins you think. Tests have shown that pre-cut vegetables, for example, start losing their Vitamin C once they are cut!
I bought some pre-sliced mushrooms on Tuesday and made them for dinner last night. They were on sale, so in this case they were cheaper than whole mushrooms… that is if I am able to eat them all. If I end up throwing any of them away it will be a waste. The thing is though, they were sliced so thickly, they might as well not have been cut at all. I had to cut each slice into at least 3 pieces. It’s a good thing I didn’t pay more for the pre cut, because it certainly wasn’t more convenient.
I think everyone knows that buying anything while out at the movies is a terrible idea, but when you look at the math, it’s just crazy.
According to a professor at the University of California-Irvine, you’re paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn! When you do the math, $5.50 for that bucket of popcorn makes an ounce of popcorn more expensive than filet mignon!
Other money wasters include anything at eye level at the grocery store, brand name medications. Read more. If you have spent more than you were expecting to on groceries this month and need a little extra cash, a Payday Loan or Title Loan can help you out.
Tags: food shopping, groceries, saving money, tips
Posted in Articles, saving money, tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
Landline Phones
There’s one big reason that people keep a landline at home: 911 calls. The landline runs off power from the telephone line itself (a neat precursor to power over ethernet) so if there’s a blackout, the calls still go through (unless you have a cordless handset, of course). And because a landline is tied directly to a single address, the emergency services know where you are.
But a cellphone is always with you, even when you’re hiding under the bed from burglars or murderers. What if your battery dies? Borrow another phone — there’s always somebody around. And if you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and things get ugly, a landline won’t help you anyway. What about coverage? It’s true that cellphone coverage in the US is not exactly ubiquitous, but again, if you’re out in the sticks with no signal, you’re unlikely to find a landline anyway.
The emergency services still know where you are, too. Your rough location is tracked by the cell tower routing your call, so you’ll be directed to a local call center. With GPS enabled phones, things will only get better.
Burglar alarms? File under the caveat above. If you have a dedicated line, fine. Just don’t rent a second one just to hook up a handset you don’t need.
There’s one other problem with a landline, or rather, with your brain: You don’t remember anyone’s number anymore. Stick with the mobile, and learn to be less paranoid.
— Wired
Because we got rid of our DSL internet, we no longer need our land line (which AT&T had required we get when we ordered DSL). At least half the calls we got were from AT&T asking if I wanted long distance service, when I already have long distance on my AT&T cell phone, not to mention I didn’t want the land line to begin with. Land lines are dead. However… I get really bad reception in our apartment. I was thinking of doing Vonage, but it was more expensive. It needed to be cheap for me to even consider, because I could always walk out on to our porch or use my roommates phone if it was raining or something. Then I stumbled upon Skype. It’s less than $3 a month to call out. Totally worth it. And no taxes, which is great because just the taxes on our land line was $40 a month. I love saving money. Plus, no telemarketing!
The only problem now is that I may not get my bill credit for our DSL modem because I won’t have any more bills for it to be applied to (Uverse billing is separate for some reason). Hopefully they can send me a check.
Today is Pay Day!
Tags: 911, AT&T, cancel service, cell phones, cost cutting, cut costs, ditch land line, dsl, land lines, landlines, money saving tips, save money, saving money, skype, useless gadgets, voice over internet protocol, VOIP, vonage, wired, wired magazine
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Monday, September 22nd, 2008
Saving money can be tough in today’s world of constant spending. It is very easy to spend small amounts of money every day and have no idea where it all went just a week later. So here are some pointers on ways to keep track of you spending:
For many of us, shopping has become a daily activity. Everybody has certain purchases that are necessary. Trying to do all your shopping in one trip is a good way to not only cut back on spending, but can also reduce your fuel usage. Studies show that most people buy things they need when they shop in bulk and tend to not spend much money on frivolous items. The larger the bill we have to pay is, the more we focus on what we really need. When shopping is spread out we only see the small amount on the receipt and it is easier to think we can get away with buying extra things. It’s these smaller shopping trips that add up to become more costly then the one large trip for necessary items.
It also helps to prepare a list before you go shopping. Things like this are all a part of financial planning. Plan ahead before you shopping, try to stick to only buying items on your list. Careful spending is the best kind of spending.
Another trick I’ve come up with is to try to cancel a service you really have no interest in canceling. When I called to cancel my TiVo service I was offered a reduced rate. When I still wanted to cancel, I was offered a few months free service. I was also offered a reduced rate when I called to cancel a free trial of All State Roadside Assistance.
Should a financial emergency arise, you might not be able to pull from your savings. If this is the case, consider a payday loan as an alternative way to get some cash. These loans are like a cash advance or paycheck advance. The borrower takes out a loan and pays back the money on their next payday. Payday loans offer a quick turn around time for receiving cash and an easy application process, perfect for when you need fast cash but don’t have liquid savings.
Contact your local payday loan lender for more information and rates, or check out WhichPaydayLoan.com to compare the best online payday loan websites.
Tags: best payday loans, cash advances, compare payday loans, financial emergency, money saving tips, money saving tricks, paycheck advances, paycheck loans, payday advances, payday loan, payday loan websites, Payday Loans, saving money, savings, shopping lists, shopping strategy, smart spending, spending money
Posted in Payday Loans, Personal loans, saving money, tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
Prices are going up on nearly every consumer good and necessity. Unfortunately, wages are not keeping up with the rise in prices. Many people are searching for ways to reorganize their budgets to accommodate their same needs. This may seem impossible if you are already trying to save money by doing things like not purchasing brand names. Credit card payments, mortgages, and other bank loans are monthly expenditures that gobble up a household’s income and have to be paid.
The advice is often given that people need to learn to stop spending and begin to be able to save. However this is easier said than done, especially when an emergency arises. Then you have to handle all your daily expenses and the unexpected financial costs on top of that. People are turning to other ways to help them through such financial emergencies. Payday loans are way to get short-term assistance when fast access to cash is needed. Payday advances are a valuable tool that are a popular way to fill any gaps that may arise between paychecks.
Now a days most lenders even offer payday advances over the internet. The money is deposited directly into the customers checking account. In most cases these transactions can be completed in 24 hours. The process of applying for a payday loan is also quick and easy. Only these 4 items needed to obtain a payday loan:
1. A valid state issued ID or driver’s license
2. An active bank account
3. Proof of employment
4. Proof of residency
If the borrower has bad credit there is no need to worry because most lenders don’t even check credit history. Payday loans are viewed by lenders as short term loans and the payments are made to be affordable. The point is to enter the loan before a payday and repay the amount with the upcoming paycheck. If the borrower prefers, there is a payment plan option.
Contact your local payday loan lender to get more information on how to get your payday loan today!
Check out PaycheckATM.com or PaydayOnlineUSA.com to learn more about applying for a loan online.
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Posted in Payday Loans, Personal loans, saving money | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
Short-term financial plans involve strategies for satisfying a persons financial needs in the immediate future. These plans are usually flexible and don’t effect long-term goals. Short-term plans also have more certain out comes because they involve variables in the present or near future. Short-term financial planning involves short-term assets.
When short-term financial plans are interrupted many people resort to short-term loans. Payday loans are one example of personal short-term loans. Paycheck advances are used when finances are needed before an upcoming paycheck. When the borrower gets paid, the loan is then repaid. Payday advances are a way to keep on track of your financial plans. Bad credit is not an obstacle for acquiring a loan, because of this the application process is fast. For most paycheck loan, money is accessible within 24 hours.
To prepare for emergencies it is best that your financial plans include realistic goals on a reasonable timeline. Don’t forget to put money aside for miscellaneous things. When emergency cash is needed, it can be unwise to take money out of long or short-term investments. There can even be certain penalties for taking money out of retirement funds or CDs. Invested money is a huge part of achieving your financial goals. Understanding the role short-term loans can play when fast cash needed is important as well. Keep in mind the easy application process and the fast cash access of payday advances.
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Posted in Payday Loans, Personal loans, saving money | No Comments »